Strong Love and Strong Will
by Soldier78
Summary: Cody and Maddy are the best of friends. When trouble arises, its up to these two to stick it out to save the ones they love even if it means losing one another. Rated T for cussing and injuries. Maddy is my Original Character. Complete! Review!
1. The Disaster

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.1: The Disaster

They sat out on the Sky Deck, talking about things ranging from music to breakups to schoolwork then back to breakups again.

"Sometimes I just wonder if I was right to break up with her" the young man finished,

"Huh," the girl replied as she bit her tongue in wonderment.

"Do you think I was right?" he asked her. The girl looked at her.

"Depends," she replied as she sat back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest. "Do you?"

"I don't know" the boy replied, turning his gaze to the side, staring at the railing. He drummed his hands against the table lost in thought,

"Lad," the girl said. "It's been a month-"

"I know and I still can't get over her" the boy replied.

"What I was going to say was," she said. "It's time to talk to her again"

"I'm not going to talk to her," the boy stubbornly refused. "She won't listen to me anyways"

"Yes she will" the girl replied with much confidence. "Cody, she is lost and still very heartbroken from that night, its time to talk to her and straighten things out"

"We broke up Maddy," Cody said. "Bottom line, there is nothing to straighten out"

"There is," Maddy replied. "Whether or not you two want to be together, if you would put that whole argument behind and just start anew"

"Anew what?" Cody asked. "Anew with more arguing and disrespect, no appreciation"

The girl thumped her fist against the table.

"There you go again" Maddy spat bitterly. She sat forward. She kept her clenched fist still on the table. "Blamin' that this breakup was all on her"

"No it wasn't," Cody said. "It was mine too"

"That a boy" Maddy stated.

All the sudden, a huge boom was heard, then the deck shook violently.

"What the hell?" Maddy questioned. They looked at each other alarmed. They quickly darted down to the deck, they stopped dead in their tracks. There they saw the crew crowding around a smoking bow.

"Oh no" Cody said. There were a few murmurs.

"We won't survive this"

"We'll sink"

Cody and Maddy looked at each other.

"Let's go wake the others" Cody said. Maddy nodded and they both took off down the stairwell, running as fast as they could.

"I'll get my brother and the others, you get Bailey and London" Cody told Maddy. "We'll meet up at the Sky Deck"

Maddy nodded and they both separated. Maddy swung open the door, only to see London brushing her hair in a mirror with her big smile.

"London where's Bailey?" Maddy asked, almost out of breath.

"I don't know" London said in her preppy voice.

"Listen," Maddy said. "There ain't no time, we hit something, and we're sinking."

London didn't answer.

"London?" Maddy questioned.

"What?" London asked. Maddy sighed.

"Look, git yer hind up to the deck and get yerself a lifebelt" Maddy ordered her. London only looked at her. "Just do it!"

"Fine! Fine!"

Maddy soon took off to find Bailey. She ran down every student corridor, finding that many have made their way to the boat deck.

"Bailey!" she had shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth, calling for her friend. There had been no luck. The floor underneath Maddy jerked, Maddy was more alarmed. "Damn"

She quickly ran up a flight of stairs towards the Sky Deck. She found the rest of her friends gathered around.

"Where's Bailey?" Cody asked once she arrived.

"I couldn't find her," Maddy reported. "I looked everywhere near the Student Corridors"

"Oh no" Cody said.

"Did you find out what was happened?" Maddy asked.

"We struck a mine" Cody reported. "The explosion destroyed half our lifeboats"

"What?" Maddy questioned. "That means we can't all survive"

"I know" Cody said. "But we need to at least try too"

"So what do you suggest?" came Cody's brother, Zack's, voice. Cody turned to his friends, Marcas, London, Woody and Zack.

"All of you get to a boat," Cody ordered.

"What about you?" Marcas questioned.

"I have to find Bailey" Cody said.

"Wait," London said. "Didn't you break up with her?"

Cody growled. Maddy placed a hand on Cody's shoulder.

"I'll go with you," Maddy told him. Cody looked at her. Maddy looked at the rest. "All of you get off this ship"

They all nodded and soon dispersed. Maddy looked at Cody.

"Lets go find her" Cody said.

To be continued.


	2. The Search

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.2: The Search

Maddy and Cody ran below deck, ignoring the orders from the crew to get into a lifeboat. They ran down the halls in frantic search. They ran down lower and lower in the ship, searching crazily. Cody opened every closed door.

"Bailey!" he called desperately.

Maddy ran down the corridor, looking around.

"Bailey!" Maddy heaved as loud as she could. Her voice echoed in the empty corridor. The lights around her flickered. "Shit"

She ran down another flight of stairs. She jumped from the second to last step in hurry, she landed with a splash and Maddy looked down.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph" Maddy cursed. She took off down the hall, her feet splashing against the cool water pouring in from the big hole in the bow.

"HELP!" came a shout. Maddy looked around, it sounded like a girl.

"CODY!" Maddy shouted as loud as she could. "I THINK I FOUND HER!"

Cody came running down the stairs.

"Where?" he asked. Maddy pointed her index finger down the hall towards the next flight of stairs.

"Lower deck" Maddy told him. They soon looked at each other and took off. They finally ran down the stairs, only to see the hallway halfway submerged with the salty sea water. They maneuvered through the water that soaked them from the waist down. Maddy pointed again. "Look!"

They found a body floating in the water.

"Bailey!" Cody shouted in panic. He moved past Maddy and found his ex-girlfriend nearly sinking. Cody lifted her in his arms, he desperately shook her. "Bailey wake up!"

Maddy placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on lad," she told him. "We can't stay here long"

And she was right. The water was pouring in faster than you could say 'Titanic'. Cody looked at her.

"No she can't be gone" Cody said. He turned his gaze to her, and kept begging her to wake. Maddy noticed something.

"Wait!" she shouted. Cody looked at her. "She's tied down!"

Cody looked down at the water. The lights flickered again. Maddy reached into her pocket and pulled out her pocketknife. Maddy sucked in a deep breath and soon dove under, the water began to forcibly push Maddy away from Bailey, Maddy opened her eyes halfway and took the rope that had caught Bailey's foot in her hand. She tried to saw at the thick rope but a wave of water crashed down on her. The blade slipped from her hand and Maddy was fighting the harsh current. She resurfaced and coughed out the salty water.

"My blade slipped!" Maddy cried.

"Here," Cody said. "Keep her head above water"

Maddy took Bailey's body and Cody dove underneath, he frantically searched for the blade. He felt the floor with his hands as he searched, the water stung his eyes but he kept searching. He finally felt the knife against his palm and he picked it up. He resurfaced and took in a deep breath before going under.

He gripped the rope as he fought the dangerous current. Cody sawed through the thick rope, cutting it inch by inch until finally it broke completely. He made way with the rest of the rope and finally cut the last of it off. He resurfaced, panting like a mad dog.

"Okay go!" Cody shouted. Maddy pulled Bailey along the water, up towards the steps where the water was following them. Cody stopped Maddy and picked up Bailey bridal style. He carried her down the hall and Maddy followed. They finally ran until they came to two doors being pushed by the sea water. The doors were almost off their hinges. Maddy turned around.

"There's no way out!" Maddy heaved. The water poured in from all angles, the ceiling dripped from water, the stairs next to them was occupied by currents of water pouring into the corridor and the hallway connecting to the hallway they were in had water flowing in.

"Dammit!" Cody cussed. Finally, the water broke the doors down and strong jets of water attacked the trio, they were swept up by the water and they came down the halls. Maddy reached out and her hand grasped a railing, she fought the pounds of water smashing into her, she held her breath for as long as she could.

Her world began to go black as she sank lower and lower in the water, giving up.

To be continued.


	3. The Building Panic

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.3: The Building Panic

"Maddy!" came a voice. The jets of water finally lost their full strength as water poured into the intersecting hallways. He grasped Maddy's arm from underneath the water and pulled her up for her to resurface. Cody shook her violently. "Maddy wake up"

Maddy groaned softly and slowly opened her eyes.

"C-Cody?" she asked.

"Yes it's me, now come on" Cody told her. Maddy finally remembered what was happening and she regained her strength, well part of it. Cody still held Bailey in his arms, her head was resting against his chest and one arm was wrapped around his neck. Her other was resting on in her lap. "We have to go"

Maddy followed Cody up a flight of stairs, the ship continued to sink, picking up the water faster and faster. The two ran up the stairs as fast as they could until they reached the last of the steps.

They were in one of the dining rooms on the ship. Maddy and Cody paused to take a breather. Cody finally seized the opportunity to see whether or not Bailey was still….around. Cody cleared off a table that was already set up for breakfast the next day; he rested her on top of it and got a good look at her. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was slightly open.

"Bailey," Cody said softly, tears coming to his eyes. "Please don't be dead"

Maddy watched in horror and sadness of the whole scene, Cody bent down and pressed his lips to her own, cold ones, he breathed into her mouth, performing the traditional method of saving someone who was nearly drowned. Cody continued to perform this method several times until he removed his lips from hers and he could hear her coughing rashly. Maddy's head lifted and Bailey broke down in series of coughs. The coughs racked her throat violently. Finally her never ending coughing subsided and Bailey got a look at what was going on.

"Cody?" she asked, still weakly.

"Bailey," Cody breathed, not caring that she could get mad at him. He pulled her into a hug. Bailey was surprise at first by the boy's rash actions but accepted the hug anyways, in return for saving her life.

"Come on," Maddy's voice came. The two looked her way. "We got to get going,"

They nodded and Cody helped Bailey off the table. The three soon escaped the dining hall right before the water reached it.

"What's happening?" Bailey asked.

"The ship is sinking" Cody reported to her. "We need to get off the ship, there's no time to explain"

The trio reached the Sky Deck, the ship was at an ugly tilt, people who were still on board were beginning to slip and slide down the main deck.

"Much like Titanic huh?" Maddy asked.

"If it is like the Titanic," Cody said. "We need to get to the stern"

"Aye, aye Captain" Maddy said. The three ran up the deck.

"Are there any lifeboats left?" Bailey asked the two.

"Not by the looks of it" Maddy claimed.

"We need to stay on the ship for as long as possible," Cody said.

"How long would that be?" Maddy asked.

"I don't know" Cody said. "By the looks of it, we got about ten minutes"

"How about we get off the damn ship?" Maddy asked as they pushed through crowds of the people who were panicking. People were screaming on the top of their lungs, many were jumping off the ship to their own doom and many were clinging to the benches and railings of the ship. The only thing they could do was hold onto a railing and pray to God for the best.

To be continued.


	4. The Slide

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.4: The Slide

Maddy clung unto the railing, Bailey and Cody right next to her doing the same action. They were all frightened but still remained calm unlike the others who kept building up the ongoing panic, even the officers had no control of this situation. Maddy looked at Cody.

"Reminds me of the Titanic," Maddy said. "Like I said before, much like it"

Cody nodded.

"Not as cold though" Cody said.

"Damn right," Maddy said with a nod. "The only thing we should fear for is drowning"

Bailey looked at the two.

"Lord," Maddy said. "I don't think I can hold on much longer"

"Just hang in there Maddy" Cody said. "We'll survive this"

Bailey looked at Cody.

"There aren't any boats Cody" she told him.

"I know that," Cody said. "But we can try to figure out something if we work together"

The ship shook and there came a huge cracking sound. The trio looked down and saw the ship splitting right in the middle of the sky deck! The three were right near the splitting as well, the rising aft of the ship soon crashed down and landed in the water, like normal. Maddy's hands began to slip and finally she lost her grip.

"No! Maddy!" Cody shouted. He grabbed her by the hand, holding onto the railing with his remaining hand. Maddy hung onto his hand and tried to pull herself up. Cody glanced at the railing then at the girl. "Hang on Maddy!"

Then Cody's hand began to slip.

"Cody!" Bailey alarmed. Cody tightened his grip on the railing as he tried to pull Maddy up. Maddy looked at him.

"Don't worry Maddy," Cody assured her. He looked down at his best friend, his sister. "You'll be alright"

There was a moment of silence, Maddy knew what needed to happen, to save her friend's life. She knew what the cost was of this but she rather have the blow then both of them having it at the same time. She looked down and then back up, the boy was staring at the railing trying to pull himself up.

"Cody," Maddy said, boldly over the screaming people, she tried to remain as calm as possible. Cody looked at her. "Release my hand"

"What and let you slip?" Cody questioned.

"Please just do it" Maddy told him, still calm.

"What if, what if I don't see you again?" he asked her.

"Just do it," Maddy ordered him. "To save yourself"

"No," Cody said. "I won't let go, I can't"

"You have to," Maddy told him. "You need to survive, you and Bailey both need too."

"You need to too Maddy" Cody told her. Bailey watched in horror as the two argued the point. "I can't lose my best friend"

"There are times when a best friend's life does not count" Maddy stated. Cody was silent. "Cody please, just let go of my hand. For your sake and for Bailey's sake"

Cody looked at Bailey and then back down at Maddy. He closed his eyes and nodded, slowly.

"Promise me something Cody," Maddy told her friend. Cody looked at her, looked at the girl once last time. "Promise me you'll save yourself, save you and Bailey."

"I promise" Cody said. "I promise that I'll save myself…and Bailey"

"That's my lad" he heard Maddy reply with a grin. Cody had to force the next words out of his mouth.

"Good-bye Maddy," he told her, saddened and devastated that this was the last resort. "I'll always remember you"

"Good-bye Lad," Maddy replied. "I'll always be with you,"

And with that, Cody opened his hand and Maddy let go, free falling into the crack of the ship, not trying to save herself. Maddy accepted the fact she wouldn't survive as she began to plummet towards the sea, after being hit by debris that followed her. She finally slammed into the water.

Fate would determine what would happen next.

To be continued.


	5. The Wreckage

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.5: The Wreckage

Cody watched Maddy fall into the splitting wood, falling and falling. He could've sworn he heard a splash in the water.

"Maddy," he breathed. He turned his face away from the horrifying sight and closed his eyes, in grief and woe. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes.

"Cody," came the screeching voice of the girl next to him. His eyes shot open and he looked at her. She grabbed his arm in fear. He suddenly felt a jerk and the back of the ship began to rise.

"Bailey come here," Cody demanded. He released the railing with one hand and wrapped an arm around his ex-girlfriend's waist, holding her close for when the time comes. Bailey couldn't help but bury her face into the boy's chest, trying to hold back her tears of fear and hopelessness. The stern rose up and then stopped. Cody looked down at Bailey. "Hang onto me, the suction of the ship will pull us under, just hold onto me until we resurface"

Bailey looked up at her, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She could only nod and then placed her head back onto his chest. Cody tightened his grip on the metal railing, he closed his eyes. Finally he felt a huge jerk, and then looked down, the water was coming closer and closer. Cody looked down at Bailey once more.

"This is it!" he roared over the screeching and screaming. Bailey looked up at him. "Take a deep breath!"

Bailey inhaled and within seconds she felt the cold water pull her and Cody under. Cody tightened his hold on Bailey with his left arm and soon began to paddle up to the surface, fighting the suction. They finally submerged from the water and began to cough heavily. Cody released Bailey and looked around him, dozens of people, hundreds of people were splashing about in the water. Cody could only pray Maddy was near them.

"Grab my hand" Cody ordered Bailey. Bailey did so without the slightest of hesitation, they both paddled over to a piece of wreckage floating calming in the water. Cody led her to what was a door from a cabin. "Climb on"

Bailey scrambled up onto the door and Cody clung to the door with his arms on the door, he looked at Bailey.

The moon casted down on the ocean, the air was only a little breezy and the stars were out, dotting the dark sky. Bailey looked at her ex-boyfriend, after everything they had done to each other, competed, got into heated arguments that very soon led up to their infamous breakup as many fellow classmates would've put it.

She couldn't help but look at him, stare at him, nearly gawking at him. The boy was looking to his side, lost in deep thought. He turned his face her way but didn't bother to look at her, he just stared at the door.

They were silent, they didn't want to start another argument for then was not the time for it. Bailey couldn't help but think that her argument with this boy could've been avoided if she hadn't been, so _stupid_, he said it himself, that night on that dreadful Eiffel Tower that was once a great landmark admired by the both of them and now, was a devastating memory to the both of them, but none of those memories could surpass this night.

She was gone, and Cody knew that, but he didn't want to believe that. Maddy had been like a twin sister, in fact, in his opinion, Maddy was more of a sibling to him than his brother Zack. She helped him through the toughest times by just speaking her dialect which was different than anyone he had ever met. She had helped him that night he and Bailey broke up, saying that this would all blow over and that he would find another girl just like Bailey, maybe even better. Sure Maddy liked her roommate, she practically thought of Bailey as her sister, but after gathering the information from both sides, she had come to a sound conclusion that they were both at fault and that they both needed to talk it out.

"Compromise" Cody thought aloud.

"What?" Bailey questioned him, a bit confused. Cody looked up and shook his head.

"Its nothing" he replied rather rashly. The other people surrounding them in the water were never quitting their screaming. The screams of fear and near death rang in both their ears. Cody kept thinking, hoping, that at least one of those screams was Maddy, knowing that she was alive and still out there. Still having a chance, but somehow, he knew she wasn't out there.

He remembered Maddy's heartfelt words that night he and Bailey broke up.

"_I'm sure someday you'll be up and going freely once more, not a worry or woe in yer soul, someday soon it'll come"_

"_How can you be so sure?"_

"_Lad, you got a great self, great looks, great spirit and a great heart, a great heart will help overcome the horrible obstacles" _

"_I highly doubt that"_

"_It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows"_

Cody didn't understand that quote at first, but as the days progressed into weeks then months, he realized what she had meant. He basically needs to just trust himself, no doubt or worry in his heart, he just needs to roll with the punches. Just like Maddy.

"Just like her" Cody muttered under his breath. He looked up and saw Bailey, fast asleep on the floating door. He sighed as he reached up and brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear, studying her beautiful face.

"It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows" he quoted softly. He couldn't help but have a small smile tug at his cold, lips.

To be continued.


	6. Is Anybody Alive Out There!

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.6: Is Anybody Alive Out There?

Cody awoke to a loud, echoing shout. He shook his head, groaning a bit. Suddenly, a bright flash hit his eyes and he looked in that same direction.

"Anybody alive out there?"

Cody looked around, the people around him were gone, just floating bodies. They all drowned. He noticed many people had not worn their life vests, just like him. So they drowned. Cody felt a tear roll to his eyes, Maddy was probably one of them.

"Is anybody alive out there?"

Cody placed a hand on Bailey's arm and gave her a gentle shake.

"Bailey," he cooed softly. "Bailey wake up"

There was an audible groan and slowly her eyes opened, looking straight at Cody.

"Cody?" she asked in a perplexed, hoarse voice.

"Bailey, there's a boat out there that can save us" Cody told her.

"Where?" she groggily asked. Cody pointed to the luminous light.

"There" Cody told her. Bailey nodded and rubbed her sleepy eyes. Cody offered his hand to Bailey and without the slightest hesitation, she took it. She slid off the door and they both paddled towards the incoming lifeboat. Cody opened his mouth.

"OVER HERE!"

His roar echoed in the dark night, echoing over the field of the dead bobbing up and down with the small waves. The light shined in Cody's face and he squinted. He rose his arm over his head and waved continuously.

"OVER HERE!" he roared once more.

"Over here!" Bailey chimed in. They both shouted and the boat began to row towards them. Within ten minutes, the boat stopped right besides them. Cody helped get Bailey in the hands of the crew in charge of the boat. They took her by the arms and pulled her in, out of the water.

Two pairs of hands extended out to Cody and Cody grabbed them. The two hoisted him out of the water, and soon Cody collapsed onto the keel of the lifeboat, tired and in pain.

"Put some blankets over them" came the order. A thick wool blanket covered the boy. She was lying down next to him, on her side, admiring the boy. She watched him trying to get over his pain. She couldn't help but look at a deep gash running down his cheek, she looked down at his hand, dried blood stuck to his pale skin.

"The boy's hurt" came a low murmur.

"I pray to God he'll be alright" came another whisper. The boy's eyes were closed and his bloody hand was resting on his stomach, his chest rose and fell constantly which made Bailey relieved he wasn't dead.

This boy, her ex-boyfriend, saved her life. He went down the decks to look for her, teamed up with Maddy, they both refused to get into a boat without her. Cody especially, he was cut, bruised and hurt because of what happened to her, because of her. Bailey reached out and lightly placed her hand on his cheek, she stroked his scathed cheek with her thumb, carefully.

"Thank you Cody" she whispered under her breath, soft enough for the men in the boat not to hear.

Cody inhaled deeply and then released that breath through his slightly opened mouth, he didn't stir, he just kept breathing.

Bailey began to think about the argument between him and her.

"_You know what? If you don't appreciate what I was trying to do here, then maybe we should just breakup"_

"_Maybe we should"_

"_Is that what you want?"_

"_Is that what you want?"_

At that time, she was so furious at the boy. She let her brain do the thinking and not her heart, which Maddy once said that "Brain helps you with intellectual thinking; heart helps you with everything else, thinking"

Her brain wanted it to be over, but when she ran off that night, back to her cabin. Her heart was begging her to go back to him and ask for another chance, plead for his forgiveness but by then, it was over.

"_Then it's over"_

"…_.fine"_

So she ran back into her cabin, disrupting Maddy's songwriting. Maddy, being Maddy, looked up and saw her roommate in tears. She instantly set down her guitar and walked up to her friend, she got on one knee and placed a hand on her back. Her other hand rested across her bent knee.

"_What happened?"_

"_C-Cody and I-I b-broke up"_

"_Glory, why?"_

"_W-we got i-into this huge argument and h-he s-suggested we break up"_

"_And you agreed?"_

She didn't answer Maddy, instead she continued to sob and Maddy took the time to hoist herself up on the bed and Bailey to cry into her shoulder. Maddy couldn't do anything but comfort her, telling her it would all be alright, but she did say one thing that Bailey always loved to hear her say.

"_Sometimes life ain't easy road, you hit the bumps, sometimes bruise the tires but in end, you got the insurance to sue"_

Bailey always laughed at that comment when she heard it first, at how stupid it was. But now, she laughed because of how it was true. Her life isn't easy, her road. She and Cody broke up, her bump. Her heart was bruised terribly, nearly broken, her tire. In the end, Cody saved her life, her insurance.

Bailey laughed quietly under her breath at how true the statement was. Maddy was smart, not just with schoolwork and music, but with love and romance. It was strange to Bailey of how Maddy knows so much about romance and that stuff, but she doesn't even have a boyfriend or the experience to learn it from.

"_Love ain't for me, I can't be kept down, can't be settled, I got a whole life ahead of me, want the freedom to roam, to ramble and just be who I am, who I set out to be"_

And now, she was gone. Maddy's life was done, she was one of those who drowned and Bailey knew it, but just like Cody, she didn't want to admit it.

Bailey stared at the sky now changing from a dark blackish-bluish color to a light blue sky, not clouds in sight. The sun began to beam down on the rocking lifeboat. The waves began to grow a bit choppier, softly attacking the boat. Bailey looked at Cody, who still silently slept on. He was still in the same place, his hand still on his stomach, his eyes still closed tightly and his mouth still slightly open.

Bailey sighed. There came a shout.

"I SEE A BOAT!"

Cody gave an audible snort, sending out a sign that he was waking up. He slowly opened his eyes, the glint sunlight hit his eyes and he squinted, covering his unscathed hand over his eyes. Realization dawned on him, the memories of the night before hit him like a ten ton truck. Every minute, every second of that horrid night. Cody began to sit up, with the help of Bailey of course, he still rested his injured hand on his stomach, trying to avoid the pain as much as possible. He groaned as he pushed himself to sit up.

"Are you okay Cody?" Bailey asked him.

"I've been better" he replied without looking at her. He turned is face to look at her. "What about you?"

"I'm not the one injured" Bailey pointed out to him.

"Is there a boat coming?" he asked. Bailey nodded.

"We're saved" Bailey told him. "We'll be okay"

Cody couldn't help but smile at her, the most radiant smile Bailey has ever seen before in her life and probably the only one. She loved to see his beautiful smile and every time she did, her heart raced and gave her the urge to kiss his smiling mouth but now was no time for that, no time for that in a month.

Bailey shook her head and cleared her throat. Cody looked at the man in charge of the boat, who looked down at him from his post at the bow of the lifeboat.

"Are you okay lad?" he asked.

"I will be" Cody told him with an assuring nod. He smiled.

"You sure got the devil last night son," the man told him. "Looks like you've been through a lot, when you get on home I'm sure the ladies will fawn over ya with that ugly looking gash on your cheek. Maybe you can get this one to fall for ya"

Cody couldn't help but smile at the man's sense of humor. He didn't want to change his humorous sentence into something serious. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes. Bailey kind of gave the man a glare.

But he was right, Cody had done a lot last night, including saving her life.

To be continued.


	7. A Promise So Kept

Strong Love and Strong Will

Ch.7: A Promise So Kept

After an hour of reaching the ship, Cody and Bailey both climbed the ship's ladder. Cody's leg was giving out searing pain but Cody tried his best to ignore it. After ten minutes of climbing, Cody was helped aboard by two of the passengers of the ship.

"Thank you" Cody told them. Another two helped Bailey on. Cody nearly collapsed from his throbbing ankle, the two men who helped him caught him just in time.

"We should get you to the doctor" one told him. Cody could only nod, he wrapped his arms around the two mens' necks for support as he hopped on one leg down to the lower deck to get him checked out.

Bailey watched the boy leave her sight. She heard someone shout behind her.

"Bailey!"

Bailey turned around and saw her friends run towards her, happily. She hugged them all tightly, with a big grin on her face.

"You survived" came the voice of Marcas.

"I did" Bailey said.

"Where's my brother?" Zack asked. "And Maddy?"

"Cody went to the doctor's," Bailey told him. She felt tears come to her eyes as she was reminded about Maddy. "And Maddy….we don't know"

All their eyes went wide, even London had a few tears coming to her eyes.

"So she's…she's gone?" came the little whisper of Woody. Bailey sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded, solemnly.

"She saved me," Bailey told them all. "Just like Cody, she saved me"

There was a long, grieving silence among the small group. The other people around them were bustling around to help assist the survivors but they just stood there. Not the slightest of movements, not even a sound. Their friend was gone, long gone.

Elsewhere, Cody laid awake on his bed while the doctor wrapped Cody's foot in gauze. Cody stared at the ceiling, recalling the events from the night before.

"You have been through a lot I see" the doctor told him. Cody only nodded, the doctor looked up at him, through his big rimmed glasses. He frowned at the lost boy. "It was a rough night wasn't it"

"It was," Cody told him. "I, I lost someone I loved"

"Someone you love?" he asked.

"As a sister," Cody said. "She died last night, from the sinking"

The Doctor placed a hand on the boy's knee, Cody didn't even look at him, just continued to look at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry," was all the Doctor could say. The Doctor sighed and finished up what he was doing. "You may go, son"

Cody got off from the bed, the Doctor handed him two crutches and Cody slowly hopped away on the crutches. The Doctor sighed at the poor boy's loss.

Bailey sat on one of the benches of the ship, a man slowly made her way towards her. He carried a clipboard and he looked at her, he cleared his throat and Bailey looked up at the man.

"Were you on the S.S Tipton?" he asked, carefully. Bailey nodded. "Might I have your name please"

"Bailey," Bailey told him. "Bailey Pickett"

"Are your parents around?" he asked her. Bailey shook her head. "Any family?"

Bailey shook her head again.

"I was the only one in my family aboard the ship" Bailey answered him.

"Oh I see," he said as he scribbled down her name. "May I show you to your room?"

"My room?" Bailey questioned, a bit confused and shocked.

"All of our survivors need a room to stay, it is still weeks until you will arrive home, after we make a few stops" the man had told her. Bailey was about to nod but soon saw a familiar boy, leaning against the railing of a ship, his crutches leaning against the railing as well.

"Maybe later" Bailey said, looking at the man directly. The man nodded and departed, leaving the girl to watch the boy.

Cody sighed, holding back his tears that were arriving and stinging his eyes. He hung his head in sorrow and woe.

"_Cody, release my hand"_

"_What and let you slip?"_

"_Please just do it"_

"_What if, what if I don't see you again?"_

"_Just do it, to save yourself"_

Cody wiped away the almost streaming tears from his eyes, he sniffed and exhaled heavily and deeply. He never met someone like Maddy, no one like her at all, not even Bailey. Don't get him wrong, he still loves Bailey but Maddy, well, she was something. Cody remembered Maddy as the banjo, guitar, mandolin picking hillbilly who could played songs well into the night and until the sun comes up. Cody remembered Maddy's sense of humor and the way she talked, it would always make him smile, even if Maddy tossed an friendly insult at him. He remembered her comforting words that night he and Bailey broke up, Maddy talked to Bailey first then moved her way towards Cody for his side of the story. Maddy had something that no other girl had, let alone any boy either. Maddy was strong, passionate, optimistic, wise, caring…she had all those good character traits as well as a few other ones such as stubbornness and carelessness. But what Cody really admired about this girl…was her loyalty.

Maddy believed in the rule 'put others before you' and Cody defiantly saw that trait shine last night, when she talked to him last night about Cody and Bailey's infamous breakup, when she decided to join Cody in the long and horrifying search for Bailey and when Maddy ordered Cody to let go of her hand, to save himself.

Sure Cody saw certain loyalty in his friends, Marcas, London, Woody, even Bailey and in his brother, Zack but Maddy had the strongest sense of loyalty and that's what made her shine. Maddy was a beautiful person, she had dark, ocean blue eyes, short, but shaggy brown hair that sometimes covered her eyes, if not, was brushed across her forehead like a cowlick. She had a slim but muscular figure, which was rare to find in a girl but with Maddy hauling around her instruments and helping set up every gig she had, you could understand why she was strong.

Cody slid his hand into his pocket, he felt something wet and crumpled in his pocket. He slowly pulled it out, every second realizing what it was. He carefully unfolded it, hoping not to tear any of the paper. He saw the words, now having ink running down the paper from the long contact of the water. It was a song, a song that Cody and Maddy were writing days prior to the Sinking. Cody couldn't read it but he remembered what it was about, it was about her quote.

_Sometimes life ain't easy road, you hit the bumps, sometimes bruise the tires but in end, you got the insurance to sue_

The words were about a girl, trying to find her way through the difficulties of high school, she is the center of all the gossip and backstabbing but she always stays true to her heart and strives to become one of the strongest people in that school.

Cody couldn't help but smile the slightest before carefully folding it back up and sliding into his drying pants. He then took notice of Bailey, who stood right beside him. Cody turned his head to look at her.

"I miss her too Cody," Bailey told him, sincerely. Cody looked at the wooden platform below their feet.

"Why are you here?" he asked, a bit bitterly.

"I want to thank you Cody" Bailey told him. Cody looked up at her.

"Why would you want to thank me?" Cody asked, still in a nasty tone. Bailey didn't like his tone but she wanted to avoid a fight as much as possible.

"Why wouldn't I?" Bailey asked. "You saved my life"

"I know," Cody said, now turning his gaze to the vast and rolling ocean.

"Why did you do it?" Bailey asked him. "And after all I've done to hurt you"

"Because it was the right thing to do" Cody told her. He turned his face to look at her.

"_Do you think I was right?" _

"_Depends, do you?"_

"_I don't know"_

"_Lad, it's been a month-"_

"_I know and I still can't get over her"_

"_What I was going to say was, it's time to talk to her again" _

Cody sighed.

"Bailey," Cody began to say. Bailey looked at him.

"What is it Cody?" she asked, interested.

"I- I still love you" Cody admitted.

Bailey tensed up, stunned at the boy's words. I still love you.

"Oh Cody," she said sincerely. Cody got up from the rail and looked at her right in the eye. He reached down and grabbed her hands, holding them close to him as possible.

"I'm sorry for everything Bailey," Cody said. "I didn't mean what I said that night,"

"Cody I should be the one sorry," Bailey said.

"What are you sorry for?" Cody asked her.

"For not appreciating what you planned for me that night, I should be asking for your forgiveness not you"

"No I have to be blamed too for all of this, what happened that night, it wasn't suppose to happen" Cody said. "You were right, I was, am, competitive. You had every right to be angry for what I said that night, and I understand why you wanted to break up with me"

"Cody please," Bailey begged. "Let's forget what happened that night"

"You still-"

"I want you Cody" Bailey said. "I want to have the ability to kiss you, to hug you and to say sweet things about you. I want to forget everything that happened in the past and I want us to have a new start"

Cody smiled and pulled her into a tight and loving hug, tears trailed down Bailey's face as she smiled in the boy's brisk shoulder. Cody rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, smiling as well.

"I love you Cody" Bailey mumbled into his worn down shirt.

"I love you too Bailey" Cody said happily.

Bailey lifted her head from the boy's shoulder and gazed into his loving eyes, slowly she leaned towards him and her lips touched with his. The contact sent shivers down both their spines as Cody placed his hands on her hips and Bailey threw her arms around his neck. They poured every emotion possible into that kiss, love, devotion, passion, relief and anything else along the lines of that. The people around them was forgotten, all their worries forgotten, the whole world forgotten, all that matter was the two of them, two survivors of the Sinking of the S.S Tipton.

_I promised you Maddy _Cody thought as he kissed the girl he loved. _I kept your promise. _

And Cody heard her whisper in his ears, through the little gusts of wind that brushed across his face as he continued to kiss Bailey senseless. He felt himself smile against her lips when he heard the calming whisper again. His dear friend's low but happy whisper.

"That's my lad"

The End

I might put an alternate ending to this, I don't really know. Tell me what you think!


End file.
